


The World that Once was Ours

by A_Field_of_Starlight



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-16
Updated: 2013-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-26 17:56:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19773439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Field_of_Starlight/pseuds/A_Field_of_Starlight
Summary: Sequel to "The World is Falling Around Us". The nations thought they would finally have peace. After all, the world was united at last. But when troubles arise and the nations are drawn back into the conflict, they must fight against their very nature and accept the truth about the world they had once owned. Currently on pseudo-hiatus.Intended as an archive. Original work foundhere.





	The World that Once was Ours

Title: **The World that Once was Ours**  
Category: Anime/Manga » Hetalia - Axis Powers  
Author: A Field of Starlight  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T  
Genre: Angst/Hurt/Comfort  
Published: 07-16-13, Updated: 02-07-14  
Chapters: 11, Words: 15,928

* * *

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

* * *

Author's Note: This is a sequel to my story, "The World is Falling Around Us". I suggest you read that one first, before you attempt to read this one, because it might be a bit confusing. But it's not absolutely necessary.

Anyways, hope you like it!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hetalia. This applies to all future chapters as well, since I don't want to write it on every one. *cough*laziness*cough*

* * *

**Prologue:**

**When Eternity Ends**

* * *

Bliss.

This was what it felt like.

This was what if felt like to be able to enjoy themselves.

Finally, they were free of the pain that was always in their lives, the pain of losing their people.

Finally, they were free of the burden of carrying an entire nation on their shoulders.

Finally, they were free of the endless suffering nationhood brought.

Finally, they were free of their politics and economies.

Finally, they were free of worrying.

Finally, they were free.

It was bliss.

It was death.

* * *

Prussia had been there the longest out of any of them. He had been there to welcome North Korea and South Italy. He had been there to greet Liechtenstein. He had been there to comfort Hungary. He had been there to guide Belarus.

He had watched as the world fell, and helped each destroyed or conquered nation settle into life after death. He had made a new home for them, a new world to replace the one that was lost.

He would have to watch as, one by one, the nations rose once more.

Prussia would be the last to rise.

* * *

Author's Note: So, I'm just going to go ahead and post this prologue. I probably won't start writing the chapters until I return home to the US from China, which is in like a month. Also, I have to finish my other two ongoing stories, one of which ("Moon") is almost finished and the other, "Canada Conquers the World"... Well, let's just say that one is kinda crazy and may end in anywhere from 5 to 20 chapters' time. _And_ I have to finish the next oneshot in my series "When Family is But a Broken Word", so let it suffice to say that this won't get updated in a while. But rest assured, it _WILL_ be updated. Eventually. In maybe a month and a half or two months or something.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Ivan**

* * *

Author's Note: I'M BACK! So, school has already started for me, and I have, like, a million AP classes, so my update schedule will be... erratic. (For those that don't know, AP stands for advanced placement and is basically college level courses taken in high school. *sigh* Blegh, having Asian parents is... eh. You know...)

Eurgh... heavy workload is heavy...

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

**До свидания**

* * *

When Ivan awoke that morning, he felt that something was wrong.

Frowning, he wandered out of his room and toward Katyusha's.

"Katyusha? Sister?"

"Ivan?" Katyusha poked her head out of her door. "What's wrong, little brother?"

"I don't know... I have this strange feeling in my stomach, though..."

"Oh, Ivan, I'm sure it's just an upset stomach or something!" Katyusha smiled warmly at her younger brother and beckoned him into the room. "I'm sure I have something for that... Aha! Here you go!"

She pulled out a small bottle happily, handing it to Ivan.

"Спасибо!" Ivan smiled back, trying to hug her.

"Now go get some breakfast!" Katyusha laughed, pushing Ivan away. "And don't be late to the meeting!"

"I won't!"

* * *

When Ivan entered the meeting room, most of the others were there already. He quickly sat down in the first open chair, trying not to show how much his stomach was troubling him. And it wasn't just his stomach anymore. His body ached as if he had just run a marathon, then fought a wrestling match, then was in a building when an earthquake toppled it.

Unfortunately, he had ended up sitting next to Kiku and Toris, and across from Matthew.

"Ivan? What's wrong?" Kiku asked, seeing his discomfort.

"Are you hurt?" Toris added.

Matthew didn't say anything, but looked on with concerned eyes.

"I don't know..." Ivan said, answering Kiku's question. "I ache all over, and my stomach hurts, but I haven't done anything strenuous lately..."

"Ohonhonhon~! Would you like me to take a look at it, mon ami?" Francis leaned over from his spot next to Matthew.

"I would rather you not." Ivan narrowed his eyes. The other man shrank back a bit at the evil glare.

"Ve~! Fratello and I will take a look, Ivan!" Feliciano bounced up from his seat, heading over to the larger man while dragging his brother behind him.

"Ack! Dammit, Feli, stop pulling!" Lovino growled.

"Ve... sorry fratello! So will you let us look at Ivan to see what's wrong?"

"... Fine. But don't you dare do anything to my brother, vodka bastard!" Lovino warned Ivan.

"Okay~!" Ivan smiled his characteristic childish smile.

"Ve~! See you after the meeting, then, Ivan!" The Italian brothers bounced off. Or, well, Feliciano bounced...

* * *

Ivan lay on the couch, patiently waiting as Feliciano buzzed about and Lovino gathered the medical instruments necessary for a standard examination while grumbling.

"Ve... Ivan, I'm going to ask you to take your shirt off, please. I need to feel your belly." Feliciano motioned to Ivan's shirt.

"Oh. Да."

As Ivan lifted his shirt, Lovino gasped. "Ch-Che cosa?"

Feliciano, who had turned away to get some gloves, turned back around. And promptly screamed.

Ivan frowned. "What is wrong?"

Soundlessly, the Italians pointed at Ivan's chest.

Or, more specifically, where his chest should have been.

Now, there was only a hole.

"Ч-Что?" Ivan murmured.

Curiously, he moved his hand into the empty cavity that was now his chest. He couldn't feel anything at all there, but as he watched, more of his skin just... vanished.

"I-Ivan?" Feliciano said carefully, shaking in fear. "W-What is...?"

"I do not know." Ivan was strangely calm. He stood up, marveling a bit at how he was still holding together as if he wasn't missing a piece of his chest, and quickly stripped down to his underwear.

Sure enough, everywhere that had been hurting that morning had started to disappear.

With unnatural poise, Ivan bent over and picked up his clothes, quickly dressing himself and walking out the door. He quickly thanked the Italians as he left, then headed all the way back to his house. Once there, he sat down, turned up the television to mask the noise, and quietly broke down into sobs.

"Нет, нет... I don't want to go back... Пожалуйста..."

But the world paid him no mind.

* * *

He woke up laying in the cold snow, his head throbbing. He slowly opened his eyes to the gray sky above him, so different from the endless blue of their afterlife.

"Нет..." he muttered. But it was no use, now.

Russia was back.

* * *

After a brief moment of rest, Russia pushed himself up and started towards the closest civilization. Soon, he recognized the area as just outside Moscow, in the dead of winter.

Gaining confidence as his nation senses returned to him, he strode through the city, taking note of the changes to his capital.

He frowned; already, he was thinking of it as his capital again. Did it really only take such a short amount of time for him to get used to being a nation again?

He walked into the main government facilities, getting shocked glances from nearly everyone he passed. Soon, he was at the office of his leader.

"Why am I back?" he demanded.

"So you're the legendary Russia. We have heard much about you since you disappeared from the government years ago."

"I thought I was not needed anymore?" Russia demanded of the man in front of him. "I thought the world was united now?"

"It is. I do not know why you are back." The leader tried to appear unconcerned. Russia scoffed at him.

"Not possible. What have you been doing? You will tell me, Да?" He began to exude his purple aura once more, and was pleased to find his pipe still in his coat where he used to store it.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you! There's been hints of rebellion among the people, and we need you to help assure the authority of the state!"

Russia laughed bitterly. "That's all I am good for, isn't it? Fighting your battles... Well, I will do as you wish. But when one thing happens, others are bound to occur."

With that, he swept out of the room, leaving behind nothing but a single sunflower petal.

* * *

_Russian Federation- Returned to existence_

* * *

Author's Note: Meh... I started on this a week ago, and I just now finish it... Ah, school. Wonderful thing, that.

Anywho, I'll try to update on weekends, although I can't guarantee that I will be able to, as I am also working on a collaborative fic with SeraSearaSpin called "Our Turbulent Sea of Peace", along with above mentioned workload. So yeah.

Try to guess the title patterns for this story!

Translations:

До свидания - goodbye (Russian, pronounced do svidaniya)

Спасибо - thank you (Russian, pronounced spasibo)

mon ami - my friend (French, but you knew that)

fratello - brother (Italian, but you also knew that)

Да - yes (Russian, Russia's characteristic da)

che cosa - what (Italian)

Что - what (Russian. I remember using this excessively last story?)

нет - no (Russian, pronounced nyet)

Пожалуйста - please (Russian, pronounced pozhaluysta)

... I kinda went overboard with the foreign languages...

Oh, a note about the medical exam: France, apparently, has the best health care system in the world. :P Italy is second. Also :P

Ah, I love random facts~!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Matthew**

* * *

Author's Note: NEW CHAPTER! Hehe... Hope you likey!:P

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

**Goodbye**

**Adieu**

* * *

Word traveled fast that Ivan was gone. The former nations quickly organized themselves into teams, and set out to search for him, but they did not have any luck.

Then, someone brought up the idea that he simply wasn't in their world.

"But where could he be?" Ludwig asked. "If not in this world..."

Everyone's eyes widened in realization.

Ivan was back in the human world.

* * *

Matthew paced around the house he shared with his brother, muttering under his breath.

"ALFRED! Hurry up, please!"

"Coming, Mattie!"

His twin came bouncing down the steps, dressed in his old WWII era bomber jacket and uniform. Matthew himself was dressed likewise, in his long, fuzzy beige military issue coat and uniform.

They were going to follow Ivan.

After they had arrived in the new world, they had discovered that they could occasionally visit the human world. However, the energy needed for such a feat was enormous, and most could not attempt it without at least several others helping them.

The North American twins were special. As brothers of Arthur, they had magic in their blood, and as twins, they could readily share power to move between the worlds. That was why they had been selected for the mission.

Matthew sighed. "Alfred, you take too long to get ready! I've been waiting for ten minutes already!"

"Sorry, Mattie." Alfred hung his head sheepishly.

"Whatever, let's get going."

Matthew reached out a hand, and Alfred took it. Together, they closed their eyes, visualizing their destination.

There was a poof of displaced air, and Alfred opened his eyes, expecting to find himself near Moscow.

But he wasn't. He was still standing in the foyer of his house, and he hadn't moved an inch.

"Huh? Mattie, what-"

His eyes widened. Matthew was nowhere to be found.

* * *

He opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by a group of people holding outdated weapons, staring at him in awe.

"A-Are you...?"

"He is!"

"It's him, it's him!"

Confusion on his face, the blonde sat up and rubbed his head. Suddenly, a cold nose poked into his side.

"Kumasanbo? What...? I thought you stayed at home?"

"Who are you?" the polar bear asked.

"I'm Canada," he responded automatically. Then he realized what he said. "I'm... Canada?"

"You _are_ our nation!" The people around Canada began to rejoice, dancing and jumping up and down, hugging each other and slapping each other's backs.

"What do you mean, I'm your nation? Isn't the world united now?"

"Not anymore! Our rebellion has succeeded! After 100 years, we are our own country again!" The people laughed happily, but Canada's heart sank.

"Oh no..."

Frantically, Canada closed his eyes and pictured his brother. "Alfred! ALFRED!"

* * *

"ALFRED!"

Alfred's head whipped up when he heard his brother's voice coming, faintly, from somewhere.

"Mattie? Mattie, where are you?" he shouted frantically, searching the area.

"I'm in the human world!" came the faint answer. That was when Alfred realized that the voice wasn't coming from outside. Rather, it was coming from his mind.

"What do you mean, in the human world? How could you go there by yourself? What's going on?" Alfred demanded. He heard his brother sigh.

"I... I think..." He trailed off.

"Mattie?" Alfred's voice became gentler. "What is it?"

"I think... I'm not Matthew anymore."

"What? But... You can't _not_ be Matthew!"

"I'm... Canada..."

Alfred froze. "... C-Canada?"

He sensed that his brother was nodding.

"Oui... Je suis Canada..." It sounded to Alfred as if his brother was trying to confirm the fact by using both languages.

"But... That can't be! The world is- oh." Alfred's eyes widened as the realization hit him. "Oh. That's why Ivan..."

"Yes," Canada told him miserably. "The world is splintering again."

And with that, the newly reinstated nation cut off communications with his brother.

* * *

"Arthur! Arthur!" Alfred pounded on his former caretaker's door.

"What?" came the irritated reply, as the green-eyed man cracked open the door to peer out at the normally jubilant blonde. "I thought you and Matthew were off to look for Ivan?"

"Arthur, it's an emergency! Mattie's Canada!"

"I know that, you git!"

"No, you don't understand! Mattie's Canada!"

Arthur's eye twitched. "Yes, Alfred, I _know_. Matthew was the representation of the nation of Canada! Why are you all panicked?"

"NO, you don't get it, Iggy! Mattie IS CANADA!"

Arthur stilled. Alfred hadn't called him Iggy since...

Since he was still England.

Since the war.

"What happened?"

* * *

Canada turned towards the people around him, a determined expression on his face.

"Are there any other rebellions going on?"

"Yes, we know for a fact that our southern neighbors are also fighting, and some of the Europeans and the Asians are experiencing a cultural resurgence," offered one of the people.

"We all want to return to the old system," said another of the rebels.

No, not rebels

Canadians.

A label that hadn't existed for a century. But it did now.

Canada smiled to himself.

"What do you say we give them a little helping hand, eh?"

* * *

Author's Note: Do you see the pattern yet? In both the chapter order and the titles?

Translations:

Oui. Je suis Canada. - Yes. I am Canada. (French)

Anywho, this is random, but I was in Comparative Government class, and we were talking about first, second, and third world countries and their relative geographic regions (first in north west, second in north east, third everywhere else). So, my teacher goes, "Now, what about Australia? It's all the way in the Southern Hemisphere, under Asia. Is _it_ second or third world?" So naturally, I respond, "No, Australia and New Zealand are special." Then my teacher was like, "New Zealand?! Where did you get New Zealand from? What does New Zealand have?" And the entire class responds simultaneously, "SHEEP!"

... That was a fun class... And then we ended up throwing New Zealand off the map... Sorry New Zealand!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Feliciano**

* * *

Author's Note: Guess which character this chapter will be on?

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

**Arrivederci**

* * *

"So the nations are required again..." Toris sighed.

"It seems that way," Eduard replied.

"What... what if we... get separated?" Raivis trembled at the thought. He hadn't trembled since he had arrived in the new world.

"We won't. We won't let ourselves be separated." Eduard gave his adopted brother a squeeze. "We'll always stay together."

"Yeah, like, always, right Liet?" Feliks agreed.

"Yes, Feliks, always."

* * *

"He's... he's just gone..."

"It's OK, Alfred... Everything is fine... Calm down... Your brother is fine... Just breathe... Matthew can handle himself..."

Arthur patted America on the back as the younger man sobbed into his shirt. Francis shot him a sympathetic glance, though his own eyes were filled with sadness.

"Mon ami... It will be fine. Canada was a strong nation. He will become one again. Have faith in your brother."

"B-But... Mattie..."

"Hush now. Sleep, Alfred. You've worried too much."

* * *

"Cестра... сестра, don't cry..."

"B-But брат is gone!" Natalya sobbed into her sister's shoulder.

"It will be fine, Natalya. We can always visit him, like we did last time." Katyusha patted her sister's back soothingly.

"But this time is different! He's trapped in that world again, and people will want to harm him, and we might get sucked back too, and... and..."

"Shh... Natalya, everything will be alright..."

But even Katyusha herself did not believe those words.

* * *

"ANIKI! I'M SCARED!"

"Yong Soo, aru! Don't strangled Kiku!" Yao quickly leapt to his younger brother's defense. Kiku gasped for air as Yong Soo was pulled off of him.

"A-Arigato, Yao-nii..."

"Yong Soo! What did I say about jumping on people?" Yao scolded. His expression softened, however, as he took in Yong Soo's worried expression.

"Aniki... I'm scared. And so is hyeong, he just won't admit it." The young man wrapped his arms around both Kiku and Yao, although this time he was gentler.

Yao raised an eyebrow at Hyun Soo, who sighed. "Being scared has never done anyone any good," he reasoned, putting down his book.

Yao merely reached out his other arm toward Yong Soo's twin, and he buried himself in the embrace.

They stood there, silent, remembering.

* * *

"Bruder..."

"Keep calm, Lili. I will keep you safe. Don't leave this house, understand?" Vash muttered, glancing around warily.

Roderich sighed. "Vash, keeping here wrapped up here is not going to do any good. Matthew disappeared from his own home, and his brother was even next to him."

"I KNOW! But I have to keep them from getting Lili! I have to keep here out of _that_ world!"

"Vash, calm down! Lili is a strong girl, you don't need to keep her under wraps like this!" Elizaveta protested.

"But-"

"Bruder, please calm down."

Vash quieted, gazing down into the eyes of his younger sister. Then he crumpled to the ground, sobbing, and tears streamed from the others' eyes.

* * *

"Berwald..."

"It's OK, Tino. Don't be afraid. I'll protect you."

"I'm not. I'm afraid for all of you." Tino turned his eyes on his brothers.

"Hey, it'll be fine, Tino. We're all in this together, right?" Matthias gave him a smile.

"There is nothing to be afraid of. You need not fear for us." After a pause, Lukas jabbed Emil in the stomach.

"What?"

Lukas's expression didn't change. "You know what he means. We'll stay together, and we'll get through this."

They all nodded agreement.

* * *

"Ve... Luddy... I don't feel so good..."

Ludwig sighed. "That is normal, Feliciano. We've just lost two of our friends."

"But Luddy-"

"Please, Feliciano. Let me think. Bruder, have you gotten any signal?"

"Not yet," Gilbert called from his position at the computer, where they were trying to access the human new networks.

"Have a tomato, Gilbert," Antonio offered.

"Thanks, Toni."

"You too, Lovi. You look sad."

"I _am_ sad, dammit! I was friends with the maple bastard! And even the vodka bastard was OK, after getting to know him!" Lovino exclaimed, waving the tomato in the air.

"Oh, Lovi! You're so cute when you're sad!"

"Shut up, tomato bastard."

Suddenly, Feliciano gave a loud groan. "I really don't feel well, Luddy..."

Ludwig sighed. "It was probably from eating too much pasta, Feliciano."

"Potato bastard, we can't get sick from eating too much pasta! It's not possible!"

"Ve... Fratello, don't yell at Ludwig..." Feliciano said in a weak voice.

"Feli? Are you OK?" Lovino asked, suddenly alarmed. His brother always defended Ludwig vehemently, never weakly.

"I... I feel lightheaded, and my chest hurts..."

"Where? Tell me, where does it hurt?"

"Here..." Feliciano gestured towards his heart weakly. Suddenly, he arched up and screamed.

"FELI!" Lovino, Ludwig, and Antonio yelled at the same time. Ludwig and Antonio quickly held Feliciano still as Lovino tried to get him to calm down.

"Feli... Feliciano! Look at me!"

"... Uhnnn... Lo... Ro... Romano?"

Everyone froze.

"What... what did you say? Feli?" Lovino whispered.

Feliciano looked up weakly, confused. "... Roma?"

Lovino gulped. "Ve... Veneziano? Italy?"

Italy smiled faintly. "I can feel our people again, fratello. I can feel..."

And with that, he faded away.

"FELI!"

* * *

Italy woke up in an empty field, in the middle of the Italian peninsula. He looked around.

"... Romano? Fratello?" he called gently.

No response.

Horror flooded his features, as realization dawned that his brother had not come with him. That he was all alone, again, in this world.

His hand instinctively reached into his pocket, where Austria's music player had always rested, during those years of war.

It wasn't there.

"No... Where is it?" He frantically searched through the pockets of his uniform (when had he put on his uniform? He couldn't remember), looking for the tiny plastic and metal box that had helped him keep his sanity through the years. But it was nowhere to be found.

Italy looked up to the sky, tears in his eyes. And in that moment, he made a promise to himself.

He would stay strong, and he would get his fratello back.

"Si. Italia diventerà di nuovo forte."

* * *

_Italian Republic - rising in power_

* * *

Author's Note: Im Hyun Soo is the name I picked for North Korea. Just saying. ^-^

Translations:

сестра - sister (Ukranian, pronounced 'sestra')

брат - brother (Belarusian, pronounced 'brat' XD)

arigato - thank you (Japanese, but you knew that, right?)

Si. Italia diventerà di nuovo forte - Yes. Italy will be strong again.

So... yep. Do you see the pattern yet? It's basically the order of "The World is Falling Around Us", backwards. Yep yep. XP

Hope you liked it!

* * *

**Chapter 5: Feliks**

* * *

Author's Note: Oh, and I forgot to mention this, but the titles are just "goodbye" in the country who turns back into a nation's (does that make sense?) language(s). So I won't translate them, 'cause you'll know.

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

**Do Widzenia**

* * *

"Feliciano..."

Antonio squeezed Lovino's hand as the younger man cried silently.

Around them, the rest of their friends had gathered around the newly made memorial to those who had left. Pictures were hung in careful arrangements on the walls, displaying all of the best times that they had shared with those who were gone.

"Why? Why did he have to leave me?" Lovino sobbed, leaning into his former caretaker.

Antonio wrapped his arms around him, and Lovino didn't move to push him away, like he used to. "Italy needs him, Lovi."

"Don't call me Lovi," Lovino grumbled halfheartedly, then burst into tears again. "I wish he wasn't the more loved brother!"

Antonio looked at him, shocked. "Lovino... how could you think about that at a time like this?"

Furious, Lovino pushed him away. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, BASTARDO POMODORO! If he wasn't the more loved, the more popular brother... he would never have to suffer. You don't understand how hard it was for me, to be forced to sit back and just _watch_ while Feli took the burden of the entire country on his shoulders, to let him be Italy while I could get off just being Romano. You never saw how sometimes, his smile would fall, his eyes would lose their shine... You've never felt the need to take all that pain into yourself! You couldn't understand. No one can understand."

And with that, Lovino ran.

* * *

Feliks refused to move.

"Feliks, please... We have to leave. It's late."

"NO! Feliciano was my other best friend! I WON'T leave! Stop pulling me, Toris!"

"Feliks, please!"

"Nie! Puścić, Litwa!"

Both men froze.

"What... What did you just say, Feliks?" Toris finally whispered into the quiet of the sunset.

"... Litwa...?" Feliks seemed unsure of himself. "Lietuva? Li... Lithuania?"

Toris's eyes widened in horror. "No... not you too..."

Feliks looked down to see his body already starting to fade.

"But... we promised each other we would stay together! Li- Toris! Help!"

"Hold on, I can go get-"

"No, no time! Just hold on!" Feliks reached out to grab Toris's hand, but he was already too far gone to grasp it properly.

"It's no use, Feliks!" Toris cried hysterically. "Don't go!"

"I don't want to go back! I won't, I won't, I wo-"

Feliks disappeared.

"POLAND!"

* * *

The sight of a crowd of curious onlookers greeted him as he woke up.

"Ugh... Where am I?" Suddenly, he shot up, hand flying to his mouth. "NO! No, I have to go back!"

"Sir? Sir, go back where? Are you alright? You took quite a fall." A kind looking woman beside him offered a hand to help him up.

"W-What happened?" he asked, going along with it for now.

"You fell out of the sky, it seemed. Are you injured? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"No, I'm fine. Please, tell me, where am I?"

The woman looked confused. "Why, you're in Warsaw, of course. In the newly freed Republic of Poland."

* * *

Russia had a pounding headache.

Frowning, he got out a bottle of vodka, then decided against it. He would need all his wits about him.

His government was upset. Well, he was too, he supposed. But not for the same reasons as them.

Oh, no.

No, Russia's government was still reeling from the latest independence, this time of Poland. Every meeting, now, they cursed the continent of North America. If it weren't for those troublesome rebels, they said, everything would still be fine. As it was, they were having trouble holding on to the land that was once America, what with the newly freed Canada fighting for their southern friends and the unrest Italy, and now Poland, were causing in Europe. Harsh regulations had been imposed on Asia, but it seemed that that continent, too, was going into rebellion.

Russia, however, was aching for his friends. He already knew that both Canada and Italy had returned, and felt that it wouldn't be long now until Poland reemerged. He wished all the rebellions, all the unrest, would stop, so his friends could remain in their paradise world. He wished everyone could just live in harmony, like he had always dreamed.

So he fought. But he didn't fight for the glory of the Russian Federation. No, he fought for his friends' freedom from the burdens of the world.

And he was failing.

Russia groaned as another pang of pain lanced through his cranium. _Another rebellion_ , he thought grimly.

Nothing could take away the burden of being a nation, but for temporary pain...

He sighed and went in search of some painkillers.

* * *

Canada grinned as he watched another settlement get overtaken, as the freed territory stretched ever farther south. _One step closer..._

It was all he could do at the moment. All he could do for the brother who had sacrificed everything for him, so long ago, in another life. He would fight for his twin. It was his turn to sacrifice, and he would fulfill his promise to himself if it was the last thing he did.

_I promise, Al, we'll be together again. We'll be the North American twins again. I promise..._

Canada looked at the crumpled material in his hands, and slowly let go.

The remains of an old American flag was sucked out of the aircraft hold and floated gently downwards towards the land.

Canada jumped after it.

* * *

Italy had no idea what to do.

South Italy had been freed, and it's people were all identifying themselves as Italian again. So why wasn't Romano coming back?

_Where is fratello?_

Italy felt the telltale signs of insanity manifesting themselves again, and he had to make a conscious effort to calm himself. He could not afford to lose it, again. Not like... not like last time...

_Maybe... Maybe if the other nations returned, so too would fratello?_

Yes, that seemed likely.

And so, Italy began to prepare.

* * *

Poland walked into his government headquarters for the first time since his death.

Everyone stared, but no one seemed to want to stop him. It was like they all recognized that there was _something_ special about this strange man in a WWII era military uniform, with a pink clip in his hair. Even the important officials came from their private offices, as if sensing his presence.

They were utterly silent. _Perfect._

Clearing his throat, Poland stood up straighter.

"Cześć. Ja jestem Polska. I am your nation."

* * *

_Republic of Poland - independent_

* * *

Author's Note: So, a little visitation with our nation friends in the human world. :P

And just so you know, NO, Canada was not committing suicide. Ever heard of paratroopers?

Translations:

bastardo pomodoro - tomato bastard (Italian)

Puścić, Litwa - Let go, Lithuania! (Polish)

Lietuva - Lithuania (Lithuanian)

Cześć. Ja jestem Polska. - Hello. I am Poland. (Polish)

So, um, yeah. Not that many this time...

Am I the only one who thinks 'goodbye' in Polish is eerily similar to 'goodbye' in Russian?

* * *

**Chapter 6: Yao**

* * *

Author's Note: ASIA ROCKS!

... I actually have good reasoning behind this. Asian culture has managed to remain distinct, even in places as close together as China, Korea, and Japan, and were unaffected by the western ways, until very recently. Even now, it's still a whole lot different than what most people's idea of a "modern country" would be like, and the people have a whole different set of values. I guess this applies to most of Africa, as well, since they also have a distinct culture and different values and stuff. Although I'm not completely sure about the situation there... *cough*I'mAsian*cough*.

Anyways. Enough of me rambling. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

**再见**

* * *

"Hyeong! Where are we going?"

"To the monument."

"Why?"

Yong Soo latched onto his brother's arm, earning him a look of disapproval. But Hyun Soo didn't comment on it, instead choosing to answer the question.

"Yao-hyeong wants us to. I don't know why, exactly."

"Aniki?" Yong Soo immediately perked up, letting go of his brother. "What about aniki, will he be there?"

"I would assume so," Hyun Soo replied, knowing he was referring to Kiku the second time. "It's a family gathering, apparently."

"Well then let's go!" Yong Soo grabbed his brother again and dragged him behind as he ran through the town.

* * *

"What the..."

Alfred stood on his porch, a blank expression on his face as he watched Yong Soo and Hyun Soo tear through the streets. Well, more like Yong Soo dragging Hyun Soo through the streets.

"Um... Arthur? Do you think those two are OK?"

"Hmm?" Arthur glanced up from his book. "It's just Yong Soo being Yong Soo. Don't worry so much."

"Alright..." Alfred sighed, looking back at the picture in his hand. "Wish you were here to see this, Mattie..."

He took a lighter out of his pocket and set the photo aflame, scattering the ashes to the wind.

* * *

"KIMCHI BASTARDS! GET OUT OF MY GARDEN!" Lovino yelled after the twins, who had just dashed through a plot of tomatoes.

"Lovi! Don't yell at them, they didn't harm los tomates!" Antonio said, his tone calm.

"Shut up, tomato bastard! I have to plant as many of these as possible for Feli. It'll make him feel better, once he gets back. Now hurry up and dig!"

Antonio sighed. "Look, Lovi, I-"

"Don't call me that!"

"Ah... Lo siento. But Lovino, I don't think tomatoes will get your brother back."

"Well at least I'm trying!" Lovino said, furious. "You're not even attempting to get him back!"

"Lo-"

"Shut up, Antonio! You don't get it! You don't understand what I'm feeling! The potato bastard probably even knows more than you do! Just shut up!"

And with that, Lovino stormed off.

* * *

"Yong Soo? Hyun Soo? What is going on?"

"SORRY!" cried Hyun Soo as he was dragged past Katyusha and Natalya's home. Yong Soo didn't even turn around.

"Cястра?" Natalya asked, coming out of the house to join her older sibling on the porch.

"It's nothing. It was just the twins." Katyusha smiled.

"Which twins?" Natalya asked automatically.

Katyusha's face fell, and Natalya remembered that there was only one set of twins left. The other set, along with her family, Feliks's family, and Feliciano's family, had been torn apart by the return to the _other_ world. She thought that word with a sneer, but kept her outer countenance calm.

"Oh. Right..."

Together, the sister sat on the porch steps, not saying anything, just watching the clear blue sky and the puffy white clouds of their temporary paradise.

After a while, Katyusha spoke up.

"I miss Ivan, Natalya."

"I do too."

And then they were silent.

* * *

"Oops! Sorry!" Yong Soo called out to a slightly distressed Raivis, who had been carrying a plate of food out to the table where he, Toris, and Eduard were planning to eat. Yong Soo had almost caused him to lose his grip.

Sighing, Toris gently took the platter from Raivis, who was already starting to tremble, and Eduard helped him into a seat.

"Calm down. He didn't hurt you, did he?" Eduard reasoned.

"N-N-No..."

"Then everything is fine." Toris set down the plate as if to punctuate his statement.

"B-But... Feliks isn't here!" Raivis burst out.

"RAIVIS!" Eduard cried. But it was too late to take it back.

Toris gave a strained smile to his maybe-siblings. "Everything besides that. But he wouldn't want us to mope, would he? Let's eat."

Raivis gave a shaky smile back, and Eduard placed a comforting hand on both of their shoulders. "Yes. Let's."

The three were quiet during their meal, keeping their conversation low as the food was consumed at a steady pace.

Then, suddenly, Raivis smiled.

"Maybe we'll see him again, Toris. Maybe everything will go back to the way it was."

"Maybe..." Toris agreed.

"We just have to hope, right?" said Eduard.

"Taip."

* * *

Finally, the Korean twins had reached the monument.

"Aniki! Aniki!" Yong Soo immediately jumped on a flustered Kiku, who had been waiting for them.

"Namdongsaeng! Stop it!" Hyun Soo pulled his twin off their brother, who gave a look of thanks at the older of the twins.

"Sorry!" Yong Soo said, though not very apologetically.

Kiku sighed. "Come on, Yong Soo, Hyun Soo."

Together, the brothers walked into the building.

* * *

Yao didn't turn at the sound of the door opening. He didn't turn when he heard footsteps nearing him.

He didn't even turn when an impatient Yong Soo called his name.

Kiku quickly shushed his younger brother. "Yong Soo! Please, Yao-nii-san is focusing."

"What on?" Yong Soo looked confused.

Hyun Soo sighed. "Clearly, Yao-hyeong is thinking. Please, namdongsaeng, use your brain sometimes. I know you are capable of it."

"It's OK. I'm done, aru." Yao stood up from where he had been sitting, staring at the pictures on the wall. "I've found the pattern."

"Pattern, da ze?"

"Yes. Pattern." Yao turned suddenly, his expression stern. "Hyun Soo, what was the order we arrived here?"

Hyun Soo blinked. "Uh... Gilbert, then me and Lovino, then-"

"No. After the war started."

"The end? Um... Well, after namdongsaeng and Kiku-hyeong arrived, there was the Germanics, the Nordics, um... Antonio and Francis, and Arthur, I think, and then... Alfred, then you, then Feliks, and Feliciano, and Matthew, and we all remember going back to get Ivan."

Yao nodded grimly at Kiku's shocked expression. Realization soon dawned on Hyun Soo's face as well.

"Oh..."

Yong Soo looked sick, as he and his twin had reached the conclusion together.

"No... No, no no no no... Yao-hyeong, you can't leave!"

Yao shook his head. "I have no choice, aru. Just like the others. I have to go."

"No, you can't leave!"

"Yong Soo," Hyun Soo said quietly, a hint of warning in his tone. But the younger twin paid him no heed and grabbed Yao tightly.

"No, you can't! I can't lose you like I lost hyeong!"

Hyun Soo looked stricken. "Namdongsaeng... I... Mian haeyo..."

Yao gently pushed a suddenly limp Yong Soo off of him. "I'm sorry, di di, aru. I can't change this."

"But... but..." Yong Soo's voice was filled with despair, and Yao's heart ached for his younger brother.

As if in silent agreement, Kiku and Hyun Soo both moved closer to him, silently lending him their strength and mental support.

"Yao-hyeong..." Tears streamed down the youngest Asian's face.

"Shh... It's OK, Yong Soo. My little brother... My little South Korea..." Yao smiled sadly, gently embracing his brother and patting his back in a soothing motion.

Kiku turned his face away, his own eyes moist, and Hyun Soo blinked rapidly. Yong Soo fisted his hands in the fabric of Yao's shirt, but it was too late.

Yao flickered out of existence.

* * *

Russia looked down at the man who had suddenly appeared before him, staggering a little.

"... China?"

"Russia, aru..." China sighed as he gained his balance again.

"China... What are you doing here?"

"Same as you." He waved his hand around half-heartedly. "We're here again to represent our nations, aru."

"Yes, but, I meant..." Russia frowned, then gestured to the ground. "Is this... Is this China now?"

China smiled bitterly. "Yes, aru. This is China again. 这是中国。"

* * *

_People's Republic of China - culturally revived_

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry I'm late... I just HAD to get Driver's Ed this month, instead of last month like I'd signed up for... This is a busy month! (Then again, everything after September is busy until June...) I can't take juggling six APs, Driver's Ed, having no lunch, Quiz Bowl, and studying for the SATs/PSATs at the same time! *flails*

Anyways. Basically, this will go on pseudo-hiatus until October is over. Meaning I _might_ post another chapter, but most likely not until the first week of November.

Translations:

再见 - Pronounced 'zai jian'

Hyeong - Older brother (Korean)

los tomates - the tomatoes (Spanish)

lo siento - I'm sorry (Spanish)

Cястра - sister (Belarusian, pronounced 'siastra')

taip - yes (Lithuanian)

namdongsaeng - younger brother (Korean)

mian haeyo - I'm sorry (Korean)

di di - younger brother (Chinese)

这是中国。- This is China. (Chinese, pronounced 'zhe shi zhong guo')

Lots of random languages this time... Meh.

Hope you liked it!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Alfred**

* * *

Author's Note: Hiatus is officially over. YAY! So, now there will be regular-ish updates again. It'll most likely be back to a chapter a week, usually on the weekends. Yep.

So, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 6:**

**Goodbye**

* * *

"NO! We can't just sit around and do nothing, da ze!"

"Yong Soo, calm down!"

"No, hyeong! Don't any of you want to do something? How can you just sit here?"

Yong Soo let his gaze sweep around the table. Vash, Lili, Roderich, and Elizaveta looked down. Katyusha sniffled, while Natalya glared at the Asian. Alfred remained stoic, Arthur crossed his arms, and Francis looked away in embarrassment. Lovino turned red, and Antonio had to place a hand on his shoulder. Ludwig shook his head, and Gilbert started to nervously pet Gilbird. Toris, Eduard, and Raivis gave each other pained looks. Kiku opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"AUGH!" Yong Soo screamed, and spinning away from the table. But Hyun Soo reached out and grabbed him before he could get away.

"Yong Soo, please-"

"LET GO, HYEONG!"

"Yong-"

"SHUT UP! IF YOU WON'T DO ANYTHING, THEN I'LL GO MYSELF!"

And with that, Yong Soo tore out of the room.

Those gathered were silent for a long while.

Suddenly, Alfred stood up. "I agree with him."

"Alfred, you can't possibly think-"

"Shut up, Arthur," Alfred said, his voice completely, creepily calm. "I will do what I have to. If you will not help, then don't get in my way."

"Alfred-kun-"

"Stay out of this, Kiku."

And he too left the room.

* * *

China jerked awake in his bed in the newly reinstated capital of Beijing. "Y-Yong Soo..."

He shivered as he remembered his dream.

_Yong Soo had been standing before him, smiling, arms outstretched._

_"Aniki!" he exclaimed as he leapt on China._

_"Yong Soo! What are you doing here?"_

_"I've finally found you, Aniki! We can be together again!"_

_"But, Yong Soo, it's not safe here! Please, go back to the town!" China frantically waved his arms, trying to push his brother away._

_"No, I came all this way to see you! Aren't you happy?"_

_"Yong Soo, please, go back-"_

_"Aniki, why don't you like me any more?" And suddenly, the Yong Soo in China's dreams turned around and fled into an encroaching darkness that had, without any warning, fallen upon them._

_"YONG SOO!"_

_"Don't worry, aniki," came Yong Soo's disembodied voice. "We're one step closer to being a family again."_

_Then the blackness faded into white._

Shaking his head, China got out of bed and pulled a robe on over his sleepwear. As much as he was disturbed by his dream, he still understood it's message.

 _"We're one step closer to being a family again."_ That could only mean one thing.

China picked up his phone and dialed Canada's number.

* * *

"Yong Soo!"

"Don't try to stop me!"

"I'm not trying to stop you!"

Yong Soo whirled around, causing Alfred to almost crash into him in his haste. "What do you want, then?"

"I want to help you," Alfred said, his voice low. "I want my brother back, too."

Yong Soo laughed bitterly. "Well, you'll get him back soon enough."

"What do you mean?"

"Think, Alfred." The Asian tapped his temple. "What order did we arrive here in?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Alfred asked, stepping back.

"We're returning in the reverse order that we arrived." Yong Soo watched with cruel satisfaction and a bit of regret as realization dawned in the other man's widening eyes.

"No..."

"그래."

"No, no, you're lying. You're lying to me!" Alfred backed up hurriedly as Yong Soo shook his head.

"Why would I lie to you?"

"No..."

Alfred turned around and fled.

* * *

Canada flinched as his cell phone buzzed. Cursing, he took shelter behind a building and fumbled in his pocket to grab it.

"China? What is it? I'm kind of busy right now-"

"Canada, where are you? Tell me right now." The urgency in the older nation's voice frightened the North American.

"I'm with the rebel army at the siege of Washington."

"NO! GET OUT OF THERE NOW, ARU!"

Canada jerked back as China's voice blasted out. "C-China? But, we've almost won-"

"If you value your brother's happiness, leave NOW!"

"What? Is Alfred in danger?" Canada asked, alarmed now.

"He will be if you don't get out now!"

"China, tell me what's wrong!"

On the other side of the earth, China took a deep breath. Then he explained.

* * *

Alfred's feet slapped against the ground as he ran farther and farther away from the meeting building. Blood pounded through his head, and he skidded around a corner, not losing any speed as he continued.

"Mattie, Mattie, Mattie..."

The mantra continued until he came to an abrupt halt outside the home he and his brother had shared for all those years. The past year, it had been so, so empty. Without his twin, Alfred didn't know what to do with himself.

But if he joined his brother in the human world... he wouldn't know what to do either.

Alfred slammed open the door and went up to his room, then changed his mind and crossed the hall to his brother's. He hadn't been in there in... how long? Months, it seemed. He'd never touched anything in there, in case his brother returned suddenly. But now... he knew that wasn't going to happen.

Going to the closet, he stood on his toes and reached up to the top shelf where he knew there would be a box. After all, he had his own, and kept it in the same spot. They all did.

Bringing it down, Alfred retraced his steps and entered his own room. He quickly retrieved his own box, then set them down and regarded them silently. His eyes traced over the etchings in the lids; a maple tree in full autumn regalia on Matthew's, a single rose surrounded stars on his own. Taking a deep breath, he lifted their covers.

* * *

"No..." Canada whispered. He whirled around and ran back into the open.

Then he stopped short as he heard the cheers.

"Canada? Canada, aru, what's happening?" came China's voice from the speaker.

"It's... it's too late..."

"Canada? Canada, aru, stay with me-"

A resounding crack filled the air as Canada smashed the phone into the ground, followed by an anguished scream.

* * *

Shivering, Alfred lifted up the fabric that had been resting, protected, inside the boxes for all those years.

"Mattie... you never got to take this with you," Alfred whispered as he gently spread the Canadian flag in his brother's box onto his bed. His own American flag lay beside it. "Do you still want it?"

He didn't expect an answer, and he didn't receive one. However, he did start to feel lightheaded.

Panicked, Alfred grabbed the maple-leaf emblazoned piece of fabric, then reached for his own stars and stripes. But it was too late.

When Arthur came later that evening to check on him, all he would find would be two empty boxes and an abandoned flag laying forlornly on the ground where it had been dropped.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, all he could see was smoke and fire and a clear blue sky stretching to infinity above him.

"Ugh..." he groaned, rolling over. Only to come face to face with his mirror image.

They stared at each other for a few moments before embracing each other tightly.

"I missed you so much..."

"Me too. Me too..."

Finally, they broke away from each other. Canada wiped away a tear, smiling a bit as he caught sight of the flag clenched in his twin's hands. "You brought my flag."

"Yeah... yeah, I did. I didn't know if you still wanted it."

"Thank you," Canada said, giving his brother another hug. "So, does this mean you're back for good?"

"I... I think so. I think America is back."

"Then welcome back, America."

Together, the North American brothers stood, united once more and ready to face the world.

* * *

_United States of America - liberated with help from Canada_

* * *

Author's Note: Eh, I kinda feel like my quality of writing is deteriorating... Blargh.

Translations:

그래 - yes (Korean, pronounced "geulae")

So, yeah. South Korea is obsessed with China because I recently read in my World History textbook that "No other nation (referring to Korea) was more willing to live in the shadow of the Middle Kingdom (referring to China)." So yeah. IT'S HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, AS WELL AS KIND OF CANONICALLY ACCURATE, SO THERE!

Hope you liked it!

* * *

**Chapter 8: Arthur, Francis, and Antonio**

* * *

Author's Note: I feel the need to self-advertise. Even though I've already done so in this fic. So here goes.

My friend, SeraSearaSpin, and I are writing a historical AU titled "Our Turbulent Sea of Peace". It details the journeys of Alfred and Kiku, best friends since childhood, as war breaks out between the Empire of Japan and the United States of America over the Pacific Ocean.

... That was not a very good description... I would appreciate it if you'd take a look, though. (It's not a ship-fic, just so you know. My friend and I aren't very good at writing romance, and we don't really ship characters romantically anyways. Although there are a few that are OK. But not America and Japan. Or at least, that's how I feel...)

Okay, I'm just rambling now. Bleh. ANYWAYS! Enjoy your chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

**Goodbye**

**Adieu**

**Adiós**

* * *

"Alfred?"

Arthur frowned as he walked through the halls of his former charge's home. "Alfred, where are you? The door was wide open, are you alright?"

Not getting a response, the man climbed the stairs and wandered over to Alfred's room. The door was tightly closed, which was strange. Usually, the exuberant young man left the door wide open. Strangely enough, it was Matthew's door that was open. Alfred usually kept that door closed...

Arthur peeked into Matthew's room. "Alfred? Are you here?"

He looked around. Nothing except a bit of dust on the desk and the closet door hanging slightly open. Arthur sighed and closed it, then went back to Alfred's room. He opened the door, calling his brother's name again.

Then he froze.

Lying abandoned on the floor of his brother's room was a crisp new American flag. And beside that, both his and Matthew's remembrance boxes sat, empty.

There was no sign of Matthew's flag.

"Oh, no..."

* * *

Silence fell as Arthur finished telling his story.

Then Kiku spoke up. "That makes sense."

Everyone turned to him.

"What do you mean, that makes sense?" Ludwig asked suspiciously. "Are you hiding something?"

"No, it was something Yao-hyeong said before he left," said Hyun Soo.

"Yao? He left months ago! What did he say, and why haven't you told us yet?" Natalya asked suspiciously.

"I guess it's never come up," Hyun Soo responded.

Toris, seeing that Natalya was going to push the issue, hurriedly came to Hyun Soo's rescue. "Well, tell us now, please."

Kiku sighed. "Yao-nii-san noticed a pattern in the disappearances. Those of us who arrived last are leaving first. Think about it, didn't Alfred-kun arrive before Yao? And now he's left right after him."

"But... what does that mean? W-Will we all have to go back?" Raivis asked fearfully.

"I do not know. But it is best to be prepared."

"I don't want to go back!"

"Shhh..." Eduard hurriedly comforted his younger friend and adopted brother. "It'll be fine, we might not have to. We came here pretty early, perhaps we'll find a way to stop it before it reaches us."

All around the room, heads nodded.

"All right, everyone," Ludwig said, standing up. "Eduard, you, Raivis, and Toris will be in charge of researching. See if you can find anything at all that might help us."

They nodded.

"Lukas, can you and your family try the magical approach?"

"We will try," Lukas confirmed. Beside him, Tino and Mattias nodded firmly, while Emil and Berwald remained impassive.

"Gut. Lili, Elizaveta, Katyusha, Natalya, Vash, and Roderich, I want you to explore and see if you can find anything out of the ordinary beyond the borders of the town. We haven't been out for a while, and something may have changed."

"Of course," Roderich responded. Natalya looked a bit disgruntled, but didn't protest.

"Bruder, you, me, and Lovino will look through the town for the same reasons. Kiku, Hyun Soo, can you work out how often these disappearances are happening, and if there's a pattern?"

"Hai. We will do our best."

Ludwig nodded. "Arthur, Francis, Antonio... by the pattern, you would be next to leave. If anything at all feels wrong, please tell someone immediately."

"Of course, mon ami," Francis said, and Antonio nodded. Arthur just waved it off.

"Yeah, yeah. So what do you want us to do?"

"Arthur, help Lukas. Francis, you join Roderich's group. Antonio, you can come with my group. Everyone clear on what we're doing?"

Everyone nodded.

"Then let's not waste time."

* * *

"Nothing," America sighed. "Why are we doing this again, bro?"

"Shush," Canada admonished. "No random chitchat while on duty."

"It's not like there's anyone here to hear us," America pointed out.

"Actually, there is."

Both North Americans whipped around. Only to find a smiling Italy in the doorway of the abandoned building they had been taking shelter in.

"Italy? What are you doing in Spain?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Italy gestured to the rifle slung across his back. "I'm helping the resistance."

"But... I thought Italian forces were pushing into France?" America asked.

"And I thought North American forces were pushing into England." Italy shrugged. "It seems we've all sent advance forces."

America and Canada looked at each other, then at Italy.

"Well then. Come on, America," Canada said, standing up.

"Huh? Where're we going?" America asked, scrambling up to follow his twin.

"You are going to England. I am going to France. Italy will stay here."

"Huh? Why?"

Canada smirked. "Divide and conquer, eh?"

* * *

"Incoming," a voice said through Poland's headset. The nation quickly took cover as another bomb exploded overhead.

"Why is Russia so intent on keeping Liet?" he hissed as soon as he was able to stop coughing. "Was przeklinają, Rosję."

"Did you say something, Польша?"

Poland spun around, raising his weapon. "What are you doing here, Russia?"

"It's my land."

"No it isn't. It's Liet's."

"Нет. It used to be, but now it is mine."

"Well, I'm claiming it back for him!"

Russia frowned. "Why, Poland? Do you want your friend to suffer again?"

Poland faltered. "What?"

"Poland, if Lithuania comes back, he will suffer, the same as you have been. Would it not be better if he stayed safe in the other world?"

Poland shook his head. "I... he'll be forced back, anyways. I'd rather help him now."

Russia sighed. "Мне очень жаль."

"Co-"

A gunshot rang out, and Poland fell the the ground screaming.

"I can't let you prolong others' suffering." And with that, Russia walked out, leaving Poland clutching his arm in pain.

* * *

China sighed, looking up into the sky. It was painful, really, having his people rediscovering themselves. But it had made him happy.

He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

And now he knew why.

Slowly, the wave of cultural revival was spreading. North, south, east, west... To Manchuria, to Tibet, to southeast Asia... To Korea, to Japan.

China worried for his siblings. What if he had been wrong? What if it was only a coincidence that their pattern of return was based on their order of collapse? He didn't want them to come back now, when the world was still in such turmoil. He wanted them to be able to return to a relatively stable world. The order of arrival should protect them for a while yet, but...

"What if it doesn't, aru?" China whispered to himself, patting his panda on its head. The little animal snuggled up to him, bringing a smile to the ancient nation's face.

"I guess I'll just have to make sure that everything is ready. You'll help, panda, won't you, aru?"

The panda seemed to nod, and China stood up, stretching. "Come then, there's no time to waste!"

* * *

"It's no use!" Arthur complained, collapsing on the floor. He threw his cape to one side, then buried his face in his hands. Tino hesitantly patted him on the back.

"I'm sure we'll get it, it hasn't been that long. Right, Lukas?"

Lukas didn't reply, too immersed in his spell books to notice that someone was talking to him. Matthias poked him in the side.

"Hey! Wake up, Lukas!"

"Mmm..." Lukas responded noncommittally, glancing up briefly. Then he went back to scouring his book.

"It's no use," Arthur repeated, flopping back down on the ground. "I don't know why I even bother. I can already feel the tug of my people..."

"Wait, what?" Emil said, eyes widening. "Did you just say...?"

Arthur frowned. "What? What did I say?"

"Oh, no..."

* * *

"Antonio! Dammit, you tomato bastard, what are you doing? Get up!"

"Ah, lo siento, Lovi!" Antonio smiled as he lifted himself off the ground. "I must have tripped over something!"

"You'd better have, idiota," Lovino muttered as he helped the older man to his feet.

"I'm sure of it, Lo-" Antonio suddenly subsided into a fit of coughing.

"You OK, Tonio?" Gilbert asked worriedly. Antonio nodded, but started dry-retching immediately afterward.

"Scheiße," Ludwig swore, quickly hoisting Antonio onto his back. "We need to get him to the hospital."

* * *

"We're not going to get there on time!" Katyusha said fearfully. "We're too far away! Oh, I knew we shouldn't have gone so far today!"

"Calm down, сястра. I'm sure it'll be fine," Natalya said, glaring at Roderich in an attempt to make him go faster.

Roderich frowned, panting. "It's not my fault! Francis is heavy!"

Vash sighed. "I'll take him," he said, relieving Roderich of the unconscious Francis.

"Bruder, are you sure-?"

"I'm fine, Lili. Run ahead with Elizaveta and warn the others of our arrival."

Lili nodded, taking Elizaveta's hand. Together, the two hurried down the road towards the hospital.

* * *

"Oi, bloody frog, wake up," a weak voice called, penetrating through Francis's consciousness. _Who is that..._ _It started with an A, didn't it...?_

"Francis..." said another voice. "Stop faking it, I know you can hear me."

Blue eyes fluttered open to find Antonio and Arthur leaning over him. Francis looked around, finding himself to be lying in a hospital bed. Groaning, he pushed himself into a sitting position.

"What happened?" he asked finally.

"According to Mr. Prissypants, you fainted while exploring the hills," came Gilbert's voice. A soft "Hey!" was heard coming from down the hall, and moments later, Roderich appeared, looking rather pissed at Gilbert.

"Antonio, Arthur, didn't we tell you not to get up?" Elizaveta asked, frowning, as she pushed past the two males in the doorway. "Get back to your beds."

Arthur huffed. "Getting back in bed won't do any good," he declared. "We're perfectly fine." Antonio nodded his agreement.

Elizaveta sighed. "Well, if you won't get back into bed, at least sit down."

"Yeah, stupid tomato bastard," Lovino piped up as he joined the group in the room. Behind him, Ludwig, Lili, and Vash also appeared.

"If you say so, Lovi~!" Antonio plopped into a chair, smiling.

Arthur huffed again. "I'm not showing weakness to the frog here!"

"Ohonhonhon~! Mon cher, how long have you been standing?" Francis asked, laughing.

"A few minutes," Arthur grumbled. "And I am NOT your dear."

Francis smirked. "And yet, you are already flushed from the exertion. Sit down. Pour moi?" he added, seeing Arthur's disgruntled expression.

"Stop with your bloody French, won't you?" Arthur grumbled, plopping himself on a chair.

"Why would I? You understand it. Don't try to deny it, mon cher Angleterre."

Silence. Then-

"Oh. Crap," Gilbert said, oh-so-eloquently.

Arthur took a deep breath. "I guess this is it, then?"

"Sí," Antonio responded. "Lovi, be a good boy, entiendes?"

"Yeah, yeah, tomato bastard..." Lovino grumbled, crossing his arms huffily.

Francis smiled. "Ohonhonhon... so cute!"

Arthur smacked him, and Antonio turned to them.

"See you on the other side, then?"

With a final nod of agreement, they vanished.

* * *

"Ve! Spain!"

"Italy?"

"Spain, you're here! I missed you! Is fratello well?"

"... Yes, he's fine. How did you know I would be here?"

"I didn't. I felt a disturbance here, so I came, and here you are!"

"... yes. Estoy aquí."

* * *

"IGGY!"

"Oof! Get off, America!"

"Me n' Mattie were getting worried about you. We've already freed almost all of your land, and you still weren't coming back, so we thought-"

"Shut up, America."

"Oh. Sorry. Hey, does this mean France is back too?"

"... Yes. We're all back."

* * *

"France? Is that you?"

"Canada?"

"France! You're here!"

"Ah! Careful, Canada!"

"Oh, sorry! I'm sorry! Hang on, I have to get this call... America? Yeah, France's right here. What, England's here too? OK, I'll bring him. France, did you know England was back too?"

"I could have told you that. Espagne, as well."

"Oh! That means Italy must have seen him. I'll have to contact him, too. And... welcome back, France."

"... Merci."

* * *

_United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Freed by the North American forces  
_

_French Republic - Freed by the united North American and Italian forces  
_

_Kingdom of Spain - Freed by the Italian forces  
_

* * *

Author's Note: Spain is really happy. I don't know why. Oh well. :)

Translations:

was przeklinają, Rosję - curse you, Russia (Polish)

Польша - Poland (Russian, pronounced "pol'sha"

Hет- No (Russian, pronounced "nyet")

Мне очень жаль. - I'm sorry. (Russian, pronounced "mne ochen' zhal'")

Co - What (Polish)

lo siento - I'm sorry (Spanish)

idiota - idiot (Italian)

Scheiße - (translate this yourself. It's German. :P)

сястра - sister (Belarussian, pronounced "siastra")

pour moi - for me (French)

entiendes? - understand? (Spanish. And yes, I know there should be an upside down question mark. I'm just too lazy to put it.)

mon cher Angleterre - my dear England (French. Hey, would anyone care to explain to me the difference between "mon cher" and "ma chère"? And "ma chérie", for that matter... I don't know French! Edit: I figured it out! So happy~! So, "mon cher" is masculine, while "ma chère" is feminine. And apparently a lazy way to write "ma chérie", at least according to some senior at my high school who takes French...)

estoy aquí - I am here (Spanish)

Espagne - Spain (French)

merci - thank you (French. You know this, right?)

Wow, that's... a lot of translations... O.o

In other news, today's Armistice Day. Originally. Now it's known by other names, but POOP THE OTHER NAMES! GHFDSIBHVHJD! Bleh. Anywho, here's the story behind it.

So, back in 1918, at the end of WWI, these military leaders signed an armistice (hence the name "Armistice Day") stating that all the fighting would end at the "11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" (obsession with the number 11, much?). Which is all fine and dandy, except then the commanders actually on the battlefield were like "Oh, no! We don't have that much time to fight anymore!" and basically _threw_ their troops at each other. Resulting in a kinda useless bloodbath, since the outcome of the war was really already decided... So yeah. (It was probably way more complicated than that, but meh.)

Long Author's Note is long...

Hope you liked it! :)

* * *

**Chapter 9: Matthias, Lukas, Emil, Berwald, and Tino**

* * *

Author's Note: I'm kinda losing interest in this story... I had this ending planned out, but I don't really know how to get there anymore, and I feel like each chapter is just getting worse and worse. Gah, why can't I write this? It seemed so awesome when I thought it out at the end of "The World is Falling Around Us"! EDSIUNIDVNJS!

... Ahem. Rant over! So, I'll be shortening the chapters quite a bit from here on... But still, enjoy the chapter, I guess!

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

**Farvel**

**Farvel  
**

**Kveðja**

**Hyvästi**

**Adjö**

* * *

"I think I have something."

Immediately, Lukas's family perked up and looked toward him.

"What is it?" Emil asked.

"It's supposed to bring back someone that was lost. I think it's meant for if someone died, but... Our situation is similar enough."

"Then let's do it!" Matthias immediately jumped to his feet. Tino and Berwald glanced at each other, then did the same.

"What do we do?"

* * *

"Kiku!"

"Eduard? What is it?"

"I thought this might help you. We found it while researching." Eduard handed over a sheet of statistics. Kiku's eyes widened.

"Oh. This is exactly what we were missing. Thank you, Eduard."

"It's no trouble."

Calling Hyun Soo over, Kiku quickly showed him the paper. A determined look sprang into the younger man's eyes.

"Let's do it, then."

The Asians quickly sat down and started entering the data into the spreadsheets they had set up, then ran the calculations. Within minutes, the results came out.

"Oh, no..."

* * *

"Like this?" Tino asked. Lukas nodded, setting down the last candle within the circle his brother had drawn.

"That's good. Let's hope this works."

"D' y'u ne'd our h'lp?" Berwald asked. Lukas thought for a moment.

"It would help to have more power at my disposal during the spell... Yes, thank you."

The rest of his family nodded, and together, they stepped into the circle. Holding hands, they glanced expectantly at Lukas.

He took a deep breath, and began reciting.

* * *

"Ludwig-san!"

"Kiku? What is it?" Ludwig turned to find his friend running up with Hyun Soo in tow.

"Yong Soo and I have figured out the time pattern! If our calculations are correct, the next group are due to disappear in five-"

"Four now," Yong Soo interjected.

"-four minutes. We have to go to the Mattias's house _now_."

Ludwig paled. "I'll get my group. Can you go find Roderich's group outside the town? And Eduard's group needs to be notified. Also, I haven't seen Yong Soo in a while. Hyun Soo, can you-?"

"I'll get him and Eduard," Hyun Soo said, hurrying off.

"I'll find Roderich and tell him." Kiku, too, hurried away. Ludwig ran to get Feliciano and Lovino.

* * *

A shell of light encased the five members of , blocking out the room and all the sounds outside. Now, all they could hear was Lukas's voice and the rushing of flowing magic.

Pausing for a moment, Lukas directed his brothers to put their hands together in the middle. It would help him draw on their energy. Then he resumed.

A few seconds later, Emil cried out in alarm.

"What? What is it?" Tino asked, frightened.

"It hurts!"

Lukas broke off his chant. "That's not supposed to-"

Suddenly, Tino collapsed. Luckily, Berwald was there to catch him, but he, too, was weakened, and sank to the ground.

"Lu-Lukas? What...?" Matthias asked with wide eyes.

Lukas cursed under his breath. "It must have the opposite effect of what I thought..."

"C-Can you reverse it?"

"I can try," he responded grimly.

"But...?"

"But it most likely won't work."

Matthias sighed, shuddering a bit. "Then... Don't waste your energy."

"Hva?" The surprise in Lukas's tone was evident.

"Don't do it." Matthias smiled thinly. "We have to go back, anyways. Why waste our energy avoiding our fate?"

"... That is unlike you, Matthias."

"People change, Norge."

Lukas's eyes widened, then he sighed. "Indeed they do, Danmark."

* * *

Ludwig sighed in relief as Hyun Soo finally arrived with Yong Soo in tow.

"Let's go."

They burst into the house, calling out the names of their friends.

"Lukas? Lukas, are you here?"

"EMIL!"

"Matthias, this isn't funny! Get out here!"

"Tino, Berwald?"

"In here!"

Everyone rushed to the room where the call had come from.

Just in time to see a flash of light, and their friends disappearing.

* * *

In five different locations over northern Europe that day, mysterious strangers were reported to have appeared out of nowhere. But the stories were quickly forgotten, and everyone went back to their normal lives.

Except those five.

"Norway, Iceland. Sweden, Finland. Welcome." Denmark smiled and gestured for them to follow him.

"Why are we here, Denmark?" Norway asked calmly.

"I am going to join the resistance movements. I wanted to ask if you would join with me."

"Why?" Iceland questioned. "There's no reason to. It would just make the rest come back faster."

"I doubt that they will figure out how to come back. It would be better if we were not separated. What do you say?"

"Hmph. F'ne," Sweden mumbled. Finland nodded.

After a slight hesitation, Norway sighed and agreed as well. Iceland quickly followed suit.

"Watch out, world. Northern Europe is coming to get you."

* * *

_Kingdom of Denmark - re-formed by the Northern European rebellions  
_

_Kingdom of Norway -_ _re-formed by the Northern European rebellions_

_Iceland -_ _re-formed by the Northern European rebellions_

_Republic of Finland -_ _re-formed by the Northern European rebellions_

_Kingdom of Sweden -_ _re-formed by the Northern European rebellions_

* * *

Author's Note: The order of languages for the title is the same as the order of countries for the list at the end of the chapter.

Translations:

hva - what (Norwegian)

Norge - Norway (Danish)

Danmark - Denmark (Norwegian)

It seems to me that Norwegian and Danish are incredibly similar... Kinda like Spanish and Portuguese, but a bit closer... At least, from what I've seen. Correct me if I'm wrong...

And yeah, I noticed that Yong Soo kinda disappeared last chapter, so... he's kinda back.

Hope you liked it!

* * *

**Chapter 10: Vash and Roderich**

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry this is late. I've been swamped with homework and studying, since every teacher wants to get in a test or a project or bunch of homework before Thanksgiving break... *sigh* And then I just procrastinated for a week. Yep.

Also, I've changed the titles so that if a country has more than one official language, they're still on the same line. You'll see what I'm talking about.

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

**Auf Wiedersehen**

**Auf Wiedersehen/Arrivederci/Adieu/** **A Revair**

* * *

"Hah. I knew it."

"Yong Soo..."

The young man spun around at his brother's touch, eyes glinting with tears, curl bouncing. "Don't try to comfort me!"

"But-"

"Just go away! Who's next? Them?"

Yong Soo pointed to Vash and Roderich.

"Well... Yes... but-"

"Good luck. Have fun."

With that, Yong Soo stormed out of the room with Hyun Soo trailing him, trying - and failing - to get him to see reason.

Shocked silence followed.

"Well... That was..." Roderich finally managed. Several of his companions nodded.

After a few more minutes of awkward silence, they all slowly trickled away, leaving an empty room behind them.

* * *

"Yong Soo!"

"Go away, hyeong!"

"But I just want to talk! Namdongsae-"

"GO AWAY, HYEONG! I _DON'T_ _WANT_ TO TALK!"

Hyun Soo suddenly stopped. "Oh. OK. I see how it is. Have fun, then."

Surprised, Yong Soo turned around. "What?"

Hyun Soo shrugged. "I see what you're doing. As you said: good luck. Have fun."

With that, he began walking away, leaving a dumbfounded Yong Soo.

"Wha- Wai- Hyeong- What- WAIT! Hyeong, what do you mean?"

"Oh, so now you want to talk. Too late. I have no time for your childish games."

"W-Wha-"

"Goodbye, Yong Soo."

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

"So."

Vash looked at Roderich.

"What do we do now?"

"We don't _do_ anything. We simply wait, and continue living. I, for one, am hoping this gets resolved soon. I don't want to leave Lili all by herself."

"That is true. Alright. I'll do as you say. Hopefully, this will end..."

"Hopefully."

* * *

"Is there really no hope left for them?"

"I don't know, aru. But I want to be well prepared in case there isn't."

"But... what if not preparing could save them from this fate that is ours?"

"Russia... I really do not know, aru. But I believe it would be safer to be prepared and run the risk of making them return sooner, than to have them return to nothing. It is better to return sooner to a healing world than later to one still fragmented into a million shards."

"I hope you're right, China. I really do. I can't fight much longer."

"Then stop, aru. All that's happened since you returned is another war."

"But... I still want to save my family. My friends."

"Perhaps they don't need to be saved, aru."

"Perhaps..."

* * *

When the time came, Kiku made a quiet announcement, and Vash and Roderich said their goodbyes.

"You'd better protect yourself," Elizaveta warned Roderich.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he replied.

A little ways off, Lili replied in much the same way to Vash's question. "And besides, big bruder, I have Miss Elizaveta to take care of me!"

"That's what I'm worried about," Vash mumbled.

Soon the two men came together again, and waved a final goodbye. Together, alone, they left the town and walked to a nearby meadow.

"Reminds me of the old days."

"Mmm."

A few seconds passed, silent. Then Vash turned to Roderich.

"Don't make me have to come save you again."

"Hmph. I'm not helpless."

"Oh?"

Roderich crossed his arms, but a small smile touched his lips. Vash gave an approving nod. "That's the spirit. We'll be fine."

"I never doubted that."

And together, the old friends faded into the sky.

* * *

"Ve... Austria? Switzerland?"

"Oh. Hello, Italy."

"Ve! America, Canada, Spain, France, England! Come quick! There's more who might join us! Unless... Switzerland, will you go back to being neutral?"

"I would like to, yes."

"Austria? Will you join the resistance?"

"... I think my people would like it if I did. So yes, Italy, I will."

"Buono! Oh, and welcome back!"

"Yes... indeed."

* * *

_Swiss Confederation- restored through peaceful revolution  
_

_Republic of Austria - liberated by the resistance  
_

* * *

Author's Note: Speaking of Austria, the section on the War of Austrian Succession in my World History textbook is literally a sentence that says "Prussia and Austria also fought, and Prussia gained some land." That's it. It's really quite funny, especially since the famous "vital regions" line comes from that... XD

My World History textbook sucks.

Also, I'm kinda putting this on psuedo-hiatus. Because it's the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break, which equals a whole bunch of projects and stuffs. And because I can't seem to find the motivation to work on my chapter fics, and really want to write depressing/disturbing oneshots. (See "Shatter", which I posted earlier today...)

Anyways, hope you liked it!

* * *

**Chapter 11: Edge of Infinity**

* * *

Author's Note: I believe I've mentioned before that I've lost interest in this story? Yeah... I've kinda _really_ lost interest in writing this story...

So I've written this longer-ish concluding chapter. Because I don't believe in leaving behind discontinued fics. So yeah...

Needless to say, the formatting and idea of this chapter will be quite different from the ones before.

Enjoy, I guess.

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

**Edge of Infinity  
**

* * *

"Oh... Oh. I see..."

"Bruder?"

"I finally understand... It all makes sense now..."

"Ludwig, are you alright? Where are you going?"

"Thank you, Gilbert. Or rather... Prussia..."

"Wha- Ludwig! Wait! Come back!"

It was too late.

He was gone.

* * *

"So Ludwig's finally gone, huh?"

"Don't say that! We don't have any definitive evidence that he's gone, right, Kiku? He's just... missing."

"Hyun Soo... I'm afraid that's... perhaps... just a false hope..."

"So, aniki? Does that mean it's our turn now?"

"Hai."

"Wait, no, Yong Soo, Kiku-!"

Heedless of his cries, the two joined hands and departed.

* * *

"Natalya?"

"Katyusha? What's wrong?"

"Do... do you miss брат?"

"Of course. Why?"

"Is there anything you would want to tell him, at this moment?"

"Well... That I love him, I guess..."

"I see. До побачення, cecтpa."

"Katyusha? Wait, Kat-!"

* * *

"What? Katyusha's gone too? Where did you hear this, Raivis?"

"N-Natalya told me, when I went to get Toris..."

"It's true, Eduard. She's gone."

A sigh.

"I guess it's our turn now?"

"Yeah... Come on, Raivis, let's go."

United in determination, they left.

* * *

"... and that should take us to the ridge. Any questions?"

The assembled nations glanced at each other.

"Are we sure Russia will be there?" England finally asked. "Because if not..."

"I'm sure, England," Lithuania replied.

"I trust you, Lithuania, but... Wouldn't he leave? It's pretty obvious that we're coming," America pointed out.

"That's not Russia's way. You weren't there, during the war. He won't leave," Canada said firmly.

"And considering his state of mind at the moment, aru, you won't meet any opposition," China's voice interjected, coming out of the speaker attached to Germany's pack.

Their voices fell quiet for a few moments, but then Ukraine spoke up.

"We are not hurting him, right? We all promise this?"

"No, Ukraine-san, we won't hurt him," Japan said.

"That would be, like, totally unawesome. We, like, outnumber him, 22 to 1," Poland pointed out.

The rest of the nations nodded in agreement.

"Alright, then... Any more questions?"

No one said anything.

Italy nodded. "Good. Let's move." _Fratello, I'm coming..._

* * *

Russia stood at the edge of the precipice, pipe loosely clutched in his hand, his eyes closed. A small smile adorned his face as he listened to the sounds of his people getting defeated by the nations, who were drawing ever closer to his position.

The sounds stopped, and Russia knew they were behind him. He waited.

Finally, someone spoke. Germany. "Russia... Are you going to fight?"

Russia said nothing. He didn't even turn around.

"Russia, wake up. This is war, you can't afford to space out!" England frowned.

"Ve, Russia? Do you know where fratello is? I want to see Romano again~!"

Other nations quickly supplied their own queries.

Russia responded to none of them. Then-

"STOP!"

Everyone turned to Ukraine, who was shaking.

"Stop... Oh, Russia! It's OK, come here..." And, to the surprise of everyone gathered, Russia collapsed into his sister's arms, sobbing.

"Shh... Shh... Russia... my little brother..."

"C-cecтpa..."

"I'm here."

"W-Why... Why can't we just be at peace?!"

"I don't know, Russia. I don't know."

"That's all I wanted."

"I know. And you did very well. But maybe it's just not to be."

"Where... where is Belarus?"

"She didn't come yet. You should know this."

Russia pushed himself away from his sister. "Then we must get her back. Let us end this war, and focus on getting our friends and family back."

Slowly at first, hesitantly, then with increasing speed and enthusiasm, the assembled countries voiced their agreement.

* * *

Hyun Soo jerked up. "Something's changed."

"Hm?" Lovino glanced over at him. They had taken to living together, now that there were only six of them left. The women occupied one house, and the men took the neighboring one.

Suddenly, Lili came bursting through the door. Prussia jumped up and caught her just as she was about to trip.

"Lili? What happened?" he asked.

"It's... it's Natalya! She's going!"

"What? That's not possible... the war ended already! Right, Hyun Soo?"

"It should have... But I don't know if my information is reliable. Yong Soo... was always the more sensitive about these things..."

"Whatever, bastards! Let's just get going already!" Lovino burst out, rushing out of the room. Lili glanced between Gilbert and Hyun Soo, then all three followed.

* * *

"Natalya! Hang on, don't go yet! I've sent Lili for the others, just hang in there!"

"Eliza... I miss my brother..." Natalya said shakily, her hand tightly grasping Elizaveta's.

"I know, Natasha, but I need you to stay for a bit longer!"

"And... my sister... too..."

"I-" Elizaveta started, but was interrupted.

"E-Eliza? Do you think... do you think they're... happy?"

"I'm sure of it," Elizaveta murmured, clutching her friend's hand tighter.

"... I miss them. I... I can almost see them... I... прабачце..."

"Natalya!"

When Lili arrived with the others, she was already gone.

* * *

"... Big brother...?"

"... Belarus..."

* * *

"Elizaveta, it's not your fault..." Lili said, trying in vain to comfort the crying woman.

There was no response.

"Elizaveta! Snap out of it!"

"Gilbert! Don't be so pushy!"

"Yeah, bastardo."

Suddenly, Elizaveta cried out, her eyes wide. "Li-"

"I'm here," Lili said, grasping her hand. "What's wrong, Elizaveta?"

"Li... Lie..."

Hyun Soo's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, no..."

"Liech... Liechten..."

"Elizaveta? Elizaveta, please stop, you're scaring me!" Lili cried.

"Liechten... stein..."

"Eliza? What are you going on about?" Gilbert said, fear evident in his tone, though he tried to conceal it. "Eliza-"

"Ah..." Lili fell, clutching her stomach.

Just as Elizaveta disappeared.

* * *

"H-Hungary?!"

"Oh. Hello, Austria..."

* * *

"Lili!"

Gilbert rushed over to the girl, rolling her over. "Lili, what's wrong?"

"It's time..."

"Time for what?"

"Big bruder's calling me..." Lili smiled, directing her gaze toward Lovino. "C-Can you feel it too?"

"... Si..."

"I'll tell bruder you said hi..."

And away she went.

* * *

"Big Bruder!"

"Liechtenstein... Oh, I missed you so much..."

* * *

"I think... it's time for me to go too." Lovino nodded, as if trying to convince himself. "Si. Fratello needs me."

"And namdongsaeng needs me," Hyun Soo added. "Are you coming, Gilbert?"

"I... I..." Gilbert shook his head. "I don't know... Please, don't leave me alone..."

But the others were too far gone.

* * *

"Ve! Fratello!"

"Wah! Veneziano, watch it!"

"HYEONG!"

"Oof. South!"

* * *

"But... where's Prussia?" Germany suddenly asked, interrupting the joyous reunions.

"He... he said he didn't know if he was coming..." North Korea noted.

Romano frowned. "Wait... Potato bastard, don't tell me you didn't call him back!"

"I did! I called!" Germany's brow furrowed. "I did exactly what Italy and South Korea did!"

"Ve... Germany... maybe it's because, well, you know..." Italy made a vague motion with his hand. "Prussia hasn't been, well... Prussia... for so long."

"But... It shouldn't matter! We've all been gone for hundreds of years, and we came back fine!"

"But there's no place called 'Prussia' anymore," Japan pointed out. "There is a southern Italy, and a northern Korea, even though the countries are one."

"Ja, but... Prussia is also East Germany! Why isn't he back? He can have the eastern part of my nation!"

"But he did not identify as East Germany," Russia said sadly. "Even when he lived with me, we called him 'Prussia'. East Germany was just a formal title, to him."

"That shouldn't matter!" Germany exclaimed. "It's still... it's still him..."

The strong nation broke down into sobs.

* * *

"Hmm?" Gilbert looked up. "I thought I... Must have been my imagination."

He sighed, and went back to tidying up.

"Bruder... Where are you?"

* * *

"Bruder... where are you?" Germany muttered, gently smoothing down the sheets in the spare room.

He sighed, glancing at the wall. On it hung every picture and painting the German nation could find of him and his brother, dating back to just after the creation of the German Empire.

"You were so strong then... Why did you have to leave me?"

Germany closed his eyes.

_Please come back._

* * *

Gilbert dropped his coffee.

"What... what was... that...?"

He shook his head.

"I think the loneliness is getting to me..."

* * *

_.-^-._

* * *

Years passed. The world changed, grew.

The people were happy. There had not been a major conflict for over a decade.

The nations went through their days, the way they always had. The way they always would.

And yet.

Still, problems reigned throughout the world. Hunger, poverty, environmental degradation. Accidents, pulling people away from their families, natural disasters, killing, destroying. Misery was everywhere, though it was not any worse than it had ever been.

In fact, it was better.

But the nations, who had become used to their little paradise, were growing increasingly uncomfortable. To see their people, their very essence, suffer... After more than a century, it was too much to bear, especially for the younger ones, who had only had half a millennium of life.

They told themselves that it would pass. That it was just an effect of leaving for years and years. That things would go back to normal, and that they would become as jaded as they used to be to the pains and horrors of human life.

(Not that they had ever been able to erase those bloody images from their minds. They merely pushed them away, and tried not to think about it.)

But it wasn't working. Suffering continued. They felt helpless, powerless, unable to save those who gave them an identity, those who held their existences in the palms of their hands.

And thus, they began to plan.

Oh, and one more thing:

Germany was still searching for Prussia.

* * *

They worked so hard for it. Days and weeks turned into months and years. Funds were acquired. Deals were made. Secrets were protected.

Tasks were handed out according to strengths. Germany, of course, received engineering. Japan, technology. And so on.

The energy they poured into the project increased as time went on, as they became more desperate.

The harder they worked, the more time they spent thinking about the plan and not the world, well, the easier it was to escape their new reality.

* * *

And suddenly, it was over.

It was done.

All that was left was to set it off.

* * *

"Nein!"

"But, Germany, we're ready! The longer we wait, the more risky-"

"We need to get Prussia back."

"Germany..." Italy gave his brother a distressed look.

"Potato bastard, you can't keep waiting for him! Look, we all want Prussia back, but you have to think about this objectively!"

"I am! If we don't get Prussia back, our goal won't be reached. 'We'll get all the nations together, together, we'll end this.' That's what we agreed."

The Italy brothers glanced at each other.

"Ve... but then we would have to get Grandpa Rome and your Vati Germania and-"

"They'll come, Italy. I'm sure they can see us from where they are, and they'll know when to join us. But Prussia won't."

"How can you be so sure?" Romano asked.

"I just know!" Germany threw his hands in the air. "Just... stop questioning it!"

"Ve... Germany..."

Italy watched with worried eyes as Germany stormed out of the room.

* * *

"Ve... Germany?"

"Ja, Italien?" Germany asked in a tired voice, not bothering to turn around to address his friend.

"I... Um... I... Ve... Do you want to go on a vacation?"

"A vacation?" The German nation turned around, and Italy gulped at his expression.

"Si, a vacation!" he shakily pressed on. "Ve, it's not healthy to stay cooped up like this and Seychelles has agreed and I've already gotten you plane tickets and you should go and I've already packed your bags and your government has agreed -"

By this time, Italy was pushing Germany out of the door to his study.

"- and everyone thinks you need a break and big brother France and big brother Spain and Mr. England and Mr. Austria and Switzerland have agreed to help me watch over your country while you're gone since I don't want you to worry about anything -"

Now Italy shoved Germany's suitcase, passport, and plane tickets into his hand.

"- and it's OK because Romano is going to take care of Italy and I can spend all my energy on watching over Germany and the trip is going to be for two weeks and I want you to just enjoy yourself and don't stress about anything at all -"

Germany was surprised to find himself in his car already. _Since when had Italy been that strong...?_

"- and you're not allowed to come home early and, ve, I just want you to go have fun! Don't even think about the state of the world! Ciao!"

And the car door slammed closed, leaving Germany open mouthed and staring at the Italian nation outside his window.

Italy smiled sheepishly and waved.

Germany sighed and fired up his car, knowing Italy would never stop until he went on this "vacation". He would humor the Mediterranean nation for now, but as soon as the two weeks were up, he promised himself, he would be coming right back.

* * *

Italy breathed a sigh of relief as Germany's car pulled out of sight. He quickly pulled out a cell phone, dialing Spain.

"Ve, he's gone."

"Bueno! I will call Francia and Inglaterra. Get Austria y Suiza, we'll meet up at the appointed place."

"Si, Spagna!"

And that was that.

* * *

Two weeks passed quickly for Germany, and when he left Seychelles's place, he felt a strange sense of sadness. But he quickly pushed it away.

After all, he had work to get back to.

And yet... there was something different when he got back. Something familiar, but different.

 _What is it?_ he wondered, stepping into the house that was still as immaculately clean as always. He would have thought Italy would have messed up _something_.

That should have been his first clue.

"Italy? Italy, where are you?"

"Ve, Germany! You're back!" Italy came bouncing out of the kitchen, smile on his face.

"Ja, I'm back."

"I have food for you!" Italy ran off, returning almost instantaneously with a plate of fine German fare. Germany was slightly surprised at this; usually the Italian nation would only cook pasta, but he brushed it off.

That should have been his second clue.

"Danke." He grabbed a fork and started eating. "Italy, why are you smiling like that?"

"I can't tell you yet!"

Third clue.

But Germany just sighed and listened as Italy chattered away while he finished his meal. Suddenly, something crashed.

This time, he didn't miss it.

Both nations jumped.

"Was war das?"

"Ve! A surprise!"

Germany eyed Italy. "A surprise?"

"Si! Go on, take a look!"

And, just as Germany mounted the steps to the upstairs hallway, a blurry, pale figure crashed into him.

"BRUDER!"

"... P-Preußen...?"

* * *

Eventually, Germany was able to find out from Austria what had happened: Italy had, in the brief time he had been "in control" of Germany, and with some magical assistance from England, given a certain region of the country an honorary title of Prussia and forcibly extracted the personification from the other world.

Germany couldn't thank him enough.

* * *

"So, we're all gathered now."

England looked around the room at the faces of his fellow nations, all alight with smiles. Italy and Romano stood near Germany and Prussia.

France and Spain stuck close to the third member of their trio.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein were off to the side, while Austria tried to engage the former in conversation and Hungary alternated between giving the latter lessons on self defense and demonstrating said lessons on a certain white haired nation who was being his usual, annoying self.

The North American twins were whispering and laughing together.

Russia was with his sisters, both of whom clung to him tightly, though he did not seem to mind too much.

South Korea harassed China and Japan, even with North Korea trying to restrain him.

Poland hung out with Lithuania and the other Baltic states.

The Nordics stuck together, smiles of contentment on their faces.

Everyone was smiling.

As England's words penetrated their minds, they all turned and looked at him expectantly. But the English nation didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Everyone understood his meaning.

"So. Who's going to do the honors?" America finally spoke up.

"I vote Prussia," Poland said.

"Me?"

"Yes, Prussia should do it." This came from France.

"Ja, go on, bruder." Germany pushed his brother forward.

Prussia smirked. "Well, I guess you finally recognize my awesomeness!"

And as the world laughed, he pushed the big red button.

* * *

The explosion was beautiful.

Later, no one would be able to argue that.

Light, streaming from the center of the earth with an unbearable heat.

Colors, bleeding into each other and blending together in a hypnotizing swirl.

Sound, drowning out the screams of awe and pain and confusion from everywhere.

All of it swirled together in a great conflagration of destruction, leaving behind only the blessed silence that they had craved.

Death, was the final peace.

* * *

_"Hey, Germany?"_

_"Yes, Italy?"_

_"Let's be friends forever, OK? Forever and ever and ever! And we won't let anything get in our way, OK?"_

_"..."_

_"Ve, Germany?"_

_"... Yes, Italy. Let's be friends... Forever."_

* * *

_Federal Republic of Germany - restored_

_Republic of Korea - restored_

_Japan - restored_

_Ukraine - restored_

_Republic of Estonia - restored_

_Republic of Latvia - restored_

_Republic of Lithuania - restored_

_Republic of Belarus - restored_

_Hungary - restored_

_Principality of Liechtenstein - restored_

_South Italy (Italy Romano) - returned_

_North Korea - returned_

_Kingdom of Prussia - given honorary status_

_Planet Earth - ?_

* * *

Author's Note: So... that's the end of it! WOO!

Um, yeah, make your own assumptions about what happened to Earth. :)

Translations:

брат - brother (Ukrainian, pronounced "brat")

До побачення - goodbye (Ukrainian, pronounced "do pobachennya")

cecтpa - sister (Ukrainian and Russian, pronounced "sestra")

прабачце - sorry (Belarusian, pronounced "prabačcie". I think the c with the thingy on top is like an "sh", and the other c is like a "ch")

namdongsaeng - little brother (Korean, in hangul it's "남동생")

Italien - Italy (German)

Francia, Inglaterra, Austria y Suiza - France, England, and Austria and Switzerland, respectively (Spanish, and yes, Austria is Spanish for Austria. Problem? XD)

danke - thanks (German)

Was war das? - What was that? (German)

Preußen - Prussia (German)

Just a quick note: The second to last section, with the description of the explosion? That was inspired (kinda) by a story called "Imagine" by my friend SeraSearaSpin. She would really appreciate it if you went and read it. You'll see the parallels if you do, so, I mean...

While on that subject, she and I (is that correct grammar?) are also collaborating on a story called "Our Turbulent Sea of Peace" on our shared account Seven Thousand. So go read that too. It's a human AU about Alfred and Kiku in WWII, so. Angsty, kinda, like this one, but with a lot more humorous moments. :)

Hope you liked it~!


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